Apparatus for producing a gas mixture for hypoxia training

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to equipment for producing a hypoxia gas mixture and for use during hypoxia training at regular intervals. The present invention may be used in the field of practical medicine during a therapy involving gas mixtures with a low oxygen content. This invention essentially relates to an apparatus for producing a gas mixture for hypoxia training at regular intervals, wherein said apparatus comprises the following elements serially connected: a compressor; a gas-distribution member made of hollow polymeric fibers of poly-4-methylpentens-1; a duct with a flow-meter; a moisturising unit; a patient mask with a breathing valve; a system for automatically controlling the operation mode parameters, wherein said system comprises a patient-condition monitoring device with an oxygen indicator and a spirometer; and a drying unit mounted before the gas-distribution member. This drying unit is made in the shape of two truncated cones which are connected together at their larger bases on a single support rod, wherein said rod comprises in its central part a disc having a diameter 4 to 6 times larger than that of said rod. Hollow fibers made of mixtures of poly-4-methylpentens-1 with different melt index are wound on the last cone.

FIELD OF ART

This invention relates to apparatus for production of hypoxic gasmixture to be used in interval hypoxic therapy and can be used inpractical medicine while treating diseases with gas mixture of loweroxygen content.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In modern medicine have been spread the medical method based onactivation of inner protective force of human body and its physiologicalreserves using no medicaments. One of this methods is interval hypoxictherapy which increases the resistance of human body in variouspathological states resulted from preliminary therapy with oxygeninsufficiency. In order to carry out interval hypoxic therapy thespecific facilities should be developed.

There is installation for hypoxic therapy to be conducted, whichcomprises free air compressor, gas separating element made as hollowpolymeric fibres, flowmeter, humidifier and chamber furnished as a roomsupplied with hypoxic gas mixture where the patient is placed to. Theinstallation is provided with system to control operating conditions andpatient's state. (USSR Authorship certificate No. 1526688, published in1989)

The main deficiency of this installation is impossibility of strictmeasuring of hypoxic gas mixture (HGM), HGM concentration to chamber,eliminating the opportunity to select individual patient breathingprogram, that reduces treatment efficiency thereby.

There is also an installation for production of gas mixture to be usedfor interrupted at barometric pressure hypoxic therapy and whichcomprises connected in series membrane compressor, gas separatingelement made on the basis of hollow polymeric fibres ofpoly-4-methylpentene-1, pipeline with flowmeter, humidifier and means tobe connected to patient as well as system to control operatingconditions and patient's state. In this case the installation isadditionally furnished with filter element, the operating conditionscontrol system is automatic, the patient condition controlling means areaccomplished as oxygen measuring element and means to be connected topatient as face-mask with check valve. (EP, No. 0472799A1, published1992).

The main deficiency of this installation is insufficient productivity ofgas separating element and its short service life.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The task to be solved in this invention is connected with increasingproductivity of gas separating unit and service life of installation.

The task in question is solved by installation to produce gas mixturefor internal hypoxic therapy that comprises connected in seriescompressor, gas separating element made of hollow polymeric fibres basedon poly-4-methylpentene-1, pipeline with flowmeter, humidifier,face-mask of patient, automatic system to control operating conditionsalong with means controlling patient condition that furnished withoxygen measuring element and spirometer and dehumidifier placed beforegas separating element and what's more, the latter is accomplished astwo truncated cones connected together by big bases on a single supportbar which is furnished, in its middle part, which disk of diameter of4-6 diameters of support bar, and what's more the support bar is wrappedaround by hollow fibres made of a mixture of poly-4-methylpentene-1 thathave different melt indexes.

According it this invention, the support bar is wrapped around with thehollow fibres made a mixture of poly-4-methylpentene-1 with melt indexbeing 100-180 g/10 min taken in quantity of 75-95% mass and with meltindex being 20-5 g/10 min taken in quantity of 5-25% mass of fibre mass.In this case the compressor and spirometer can be mounted inside thebody of installation or out of it. The preferable embodiment ofdehumidifier has been carried out as filter cartridge filled up withsilica gel.

Character of invention is to fabricate an original design of gasseparating element which consists of two truncated cones connectedtogether by big bases and interlocked on a single support bar. In themiddle part of said bar the metal disk of certain size is placed. Thethickness of layer of fibres wrapped around gas separating element willbe decreasing in direction from smaller cone bases to big base, i.e. tothe middle of element. In this case the resistance to discharging gasflow, permeated into interfibres space, will be lesser that finallycauses the increasing of specific productivity of gas separating elementas well as the service life of installation as a unit.

According to data obtained during test of construction applied, thespecific productivity of gas increases by 10-14% as compared with knownmembrane module.

The size of a disk placed in the middle of support bar, has beendetermined experimentally, and its diameter is of 4-6 diameters ofsupport bar and stipulated by necessity to create optimal thickness offibres' layer in the middle of membrane module in which gas flow facesminimum pressure loss.

According to invention proposed hereby, hollow polymeric fibres arewrapped around support bar. Hollow fibres bend around outer rim of diskand form a space.

Since the number of hollow fibres placed in cross-section of membranemodule on disk and in the region of epoxide block are equal and thethickness of layer of fibres placed in these cross-section is inverselyproportional to square of diameters (owing to equality of surfaces), thethickness of fibres' layer on disk will lesser of that in the region ofepoxide block providing minimum pressure loss of fibres' layer to gasflow. The support bar is wrapped around with mixture ofpoly-4-methylpentene-1 having different indexes of melt flow, so calledmelt indexes which are as follows:

75-95% mass of polymer mixture is taken having melt index of 100-180g/min;

5-25% mass of polymer mixture is taken having melt index of 20-50 g/10min.

The mixture of these polymers is used to form hollow fibres to bewrapped up.

Availability of mixture of polymers in fibre causes optimal viscositycharacteristics of initial raw material and enables to eliminatestructural defects of fibres produced and provides uniform thickness offibres along the whole their length. Permeability of fibres produced isby 5-10% higher compared with known accounting same selectivity of gasseparation.

Use of gas separating element described above and wrap around ofpolymeric fibre of composition indicated above gives the opportunity toincrease considerably the gas productivity of installation by 15-20% inparticular.

This advantage enables, besides, to increase service life providingspecific consumption of HGM being more than 15 l/min per one patient. Inreal practice when using gas separating element described above, theinstallation services four patients simultaneously that corresponds toits service life.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is diagram of installation to produce gas mixture to be used forinterval hypoxic therapy with no cover of body.

FIG. 2 shows frontal cross-section of gas separating element.

THE BEST VERSION OF EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

The installation for production of gas mixture to be used for intervalhypoxic therapy and shown in FIG. 1, consists of compressor 1,filter-dehumidifier 2, gas separating element 3, pipeline 4, flowmeter5, humidifier 6, patient's face-mask with valve to breath 7, automaticsystem to control operating conditions 8, means to control patientcondition with oxygen measuring element 9, spirometer 10.

Gas separating elements 3, shown in FIG. 2, consists of bar 11, layer ofhollow polymeric fibres 12, space 13, disk 14, epoxide block 15, sealedchamber 16, covers 17, nuts 18, inlet gas channel 19, outlet gas channel20.

Capability of invention to be realized is confirmed by followingconcrete Examples.

EXAMPLE 1

Gas separating element, shown in FIG. 2, is fabricated as following: Bar11 with disk 14 placed on it, is placed into fastening of windingmachine and started rotating. In parallel to bar, the placer, throughthe holes of which running hollow polymeric fibres fixed to rotatingbar, is accomplishing recip-rotating motor. Fibres are reeling out frombobbins. In such a way the cross-shaped placing of hollow fibres' bundle12 around bar of membrane module 11, is carried out, moreover, the anglebetween the coils of fibres' bundle running there and back is keeping tobe 90 degree. Simultaneous to winding of layer of hollow fibres 12, theepoxide block 15 are formed. For this purpose the epoxide compound iscontinuously applied to the ends of winding membrane module and rollingdown of these spots facilitates impregnation of interfibres' space andcementing of fibres together. When winding the hollow fibres 12 bendaround outer rim of disk 14 forming a space 13. After winding requirednumbers of hollow fibres 12 and full hardening of epoxide compound inblock 15, cut of the fibres of module ends is carried out, moreover, thechannels of hollow fibres are opened, then covers 17 are placed on themodule ends and tightened with nuts 18. As a result two sealed chambersat inlet and outlet of module are formed.

EXAMPLE 2

Gas separating module is operated as follows: Compressed air fromcompressor 1 is supplied to one of the sealed chamber 16 via inlet gaschannel 19 from which it reaches channels hollow fibres 12 based onpoly-4-methylpentone-1. Running along said channels the air is depletedin terms of oxygen which penetrates throughout the fibres' wallsreaching interfibres space and then environment. Nitrogenated air leavesfibre channel at the opposite end of module and enters the second sealedchamber 16 and runs as HGM to the patient to be breathed. Control of thecompressed air pressure at inlet of membrane gas separating element 3and HGM consumption at its outlet enables to obtain different degree ofair enrichment with nitrogen.

EXAMPLE 3

The installation for production of gas mixture, to be used for intervalhypoxic therapy, is operated as follows:

The initial air contained 21% vol. of oxygen and 79% vol. of nitrogen,in supplied into membrane, oil free compressor 1 where it is compressedup to 4 atm and then the air flow at rate of 60 l/min run through thefilter-dehumidifier 2, made as cartridge and filled with celica gel, andfurther via inlet channel 19 of gas separating element 3, inside hollowpolymeric fibres 12 formed of mixture of poly-4-methylpentene-1 havingthe melt indexes: 150 g/10 min taken in quantity of 85% mass and 40 g/10min taken in quantity 20% mass of fibres mass. Fibres 12 have innerdiameter of 26 μm and wall thickness of 15 μm and wall thickness of 15μm. After air pass through gas separating element 3, the HGM produced,containing 10% vol of oxygen and 90% vol. of nitrogen, run throughpipeline 4, flowmeter 5 and humidifier 6 to patient's face-mask 7furnished with check valve to breathe. The installation is provided withautomatic system to control breath parameters 8, means to controlpatient condition with measuring element to control oxygen concentrationin mixture supplied to patient organism and with spirometer 10.Automatic system to control breath parameters 8 ensures automatic supplyof HGM and control of individual program for patient breath.

Means for control of patient condition 9 is furnished except abovementioned, with pulsoximeter that enables doctor to carry out detailedcontrol of patient condition.

EXAMPLE 4

8Treatment by using interval hypoxic therapy is carry out as follows:

During the first day of treatment the inhalation of HGM contained 90%vol of nitrogen and 10% of oxygen is accomplished 5 times a day in thecourse of 3 minutes each time with 3 minutes-interval to breathe freeair. Total time of breathing HGM is 15 minutes.

During the second day the patient breathes HGM 6 times a day in thecourse of 3 minutes each time with 2 minutes-interval to breathe freeair. Total time of breathing HGM is 18 minutes.

During the third day the patient breathes HGM 7 times a day in thecourse of 4 minutes each time with 2 minutes-interval to breathe freeair. Total time of breathing HGM is 28 minutes.

During the fourth day the patient breathes HGM 8 times a day in thecourse of 4 minutes each time with 2 minutes-interval. Total time ofbreathing HGM is 32 minutes.

During the fifth day the inhalation with HGM is carried out 9 time a dayin the course of 4 minutes each time with 2 minutes-interval to breathefree air. Total time of breathing HGM is 36 minutes.

During sixth day the patient breathes HGM 9 times a day in the course of5 minutes each time with 2 minutes-interval to breathe free air. Totaltime of breathing HGM is 45 minutes.

During the seventh day the inhalation with HGM is carried out 10 time aday in the course of 5 minutes each time with 2 minutes-interval tobreathe free air. Total time of breathing HGM is 50 minutes.

During the eighth day--11 time a day in the course of 5 minutes eachtime with 2 minutes-interval to breathe free air. Total time ofbreathing HGM is 55 minutes.

During the period from ninth day through eleventh day the inhalationwith HGM is carried out 12 time a day in the course of 5 minutes eachtime with 2 minutes-interval to breathe free air. Total time ofbreathing HGM is 60 minutes.

During the twelfth day the inhalation with HGM is carried out 5 time aday in the course of 6 minutes each time with 2 minutes-interval tobreathe free air. Total time of breathing HGM is 30 minutes.

During the thirteenth day the inhalation of HGM is carried out 6 times aday in the course of 6 minutes each time with 2 minutes-interval tobreathe free air. Total time of breathing HGM is 36 minutes.

During the fourteenth day the inhalation of HGM is carried out 6 times aday in the course of 8 minutes each time with 2 minutes-interval tobreathe free air. Total time of breathing HGM is 48 minutes.

During the fifteenth day the inhalation of HGM is carried out 7 times aday in the course of 8 minutes each time with 2 minutes-interval tobreathe free air. Total time of breathing HGM is 56 minutes.

During the sixteenth day the patient is breathed 5 times a day in thecourse of 10 minutes each time with 2 minutes-interval to breathe freeair. Total time of breathing HGM is 56 minutes.

During the seventeenth day--6 times a day in the course of 10 minuteseach time with 2 minutes-interval to breathe free air. Total time ofbreathing HGM is 60 minutes.

During the period from eighteenth day through twentieth day the patientbreathes 6 times a day in the course of 10 minutes each time with 2minutes-interval to breathe free air. Total time of breathing HGM is 60minutes.

After twenty days of treatment the breathing with hypoxic gas mixture iscarry out 3 times a week, 3-6 times a day in the course of 10 minuteseach time depending on patient's health condition. In this case theinterval for breathing free air will be 2-3 minutes. These treatmentcycles are carried out in the course of 2 weeks. Then they shouldrepeated in the course of one more week under same condition. In 3-4months the full course of treatment should be repeated once more.

Industrial Practicability

Method for interval hypoxic therapy, carrying out in proposedinstallation, has been proved and can bee recommended as treatment forchronic diseases of cardiovascular system including ishemic heartdisease, postinfarctional cardiosclerosis, hypertension of 1-2A degree,neurocirculatory dystonia, bronchial asthma, allergy, hypoplactic andirondeficiency anaemia, disturbance of carbohydrate, fat and proteinmetabolism, increasing productivity and immunity to extreme factors ofenvironment including side effect of pharmacology.

Besides, dosage hypoxia can be applied to increase non-specificresistance of organism while treating malignant tumour and protectpatient organism from side effect of ionizing radiation when usingradiotherapy.

Proposed installation for production of gas mixture to be used forinterval hypoxic therapy has advantages as follows:

increased by 15-20% gas productivity;

higher reliability when operating and service life.

What we claim is:
 1. An installation having a body for producing a gasmixture to be used for interval hypoxic therapy and which comprises thefollowing elements connected in series:a) a compressor, b) a gasseparating element in mating relationship with the compressor, c) apipeline in mating relationship with the gas separating element, d) ahumidifier in mating relationship with the pipeline, e) an automaticsystem connected to the gas separating element to control operatingconditions along with means to control patient condition connected to anoxygen measuring element, a flowmeter and a spirometer, f) a patientface-mask comprising a breathing valve connected to the oxygen measuringelement, g) a dehumidifier placed in mating relationship with said gasseparating element wherein said gas separating element comprising twotruncated cones each having a larger circular base and a smallercircular base, said cones connected together by their respective largerbases on a single support bar having a diameter and an enlarged-middlecross-section with a disk having a diameter of 4-6 times the diameter ofthe support bar, wherein the support bar is wrapped around by hollowfibres formed of a mixture of poly-4-methylpentene-1 having differentmelt indexes.
 2. Installation as set forth in claim 1, wherein one ofthe a melt indexes is 100-180 g/10 min taken in quantity of 75-95% massand another of the melt indexes is 20-50 g/10 min taken in quantity of5-25% mass of fibre mass.
 3. Installation as set forth in claim 1,wherein the compressor and spirometer are placed inside the body ofinstallation.
 4. Installation as set forth in claim 1, wherein thedehumidifier comprises a filter cartridge filled with silica gel. 5.Installation as set forth in claim 1 wherein the compressor andspirometer are placed outside the body of installation.